1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and an ultrasonic diagnostic method for ultrasonic diagnosis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses including an ultrasonic endoscope are well-known as those for diagnosis using an elongated ultrasonic probe which is inserted in the celom.
In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses, in particular, in the ultrasonic endoscope in which an optical observing window is provided for an ultrasonic probe used by being inserted in the celom, an operator normally observes the celom by using an optical image as guide and inserts the distal end of the ultrasonic probe in the celom to a near area of the concerning area such as tumor.
Next, the operator determines the position/direction of a tomographic plane from an anatomical positional relationship based on a positional relationship of the organ displayed on an ultrasonic tomogram on a monitor, and the concerning area is displayed onto the monitor by moving the distal end of the ultrasonic probe in the celom.
However, the above-mentioned method has a problem that the determination which image in the celom is indicated by the observed ultrasonic tomogram requires specialized knowledge about a relation between the ultrasonic tomogram and the anatomia and experiences for operating the ultrasonic probe in the celom and for reading the ultrasonic tomogram.
Further, if the ultrasonic probe is so thin in diameter that image pick-up means of an optical image cannot be provided, the optical image is not used as a guiding one. In this case, the problem becomes serious. In addition, in the case of using the ultrasonic probe in the celom for the deep organ which is not directly observed by using the optical image, such as the pancreas and the bile duct, the optical image is not used as the guiding one and therefore the problem becomes more serious and inhibits the spread of ultrasonic examination in the celom in this field.
Accordingly, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-123187 discloses an apparatus which detects the position and direction of an ultrasonic tomogram through an ultrasonic endoscope which is inserted in the celom by using magnetic field and which displays the position and direction as to be an ultrasonic tomographic mark on a body mark such as stomach.
According to the present invention, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for forming an ultrasonic tomogram based on an ultrasonic echo signal outputted from an ultrasonic probe having an ultrasonic vibrator at a distal end portion thereof and inserted in the celom, comprises an inserting shape detecting portion which detects an inserting shape of the ultrasonic probe, an auxiliary-image forming portion which forms an auxiliary image for correlating the ultrasonic tomogram with the inserting shape obtained by the inserting shape detecting portion, and an output portion which outputs the ultrasonic tomogram and the auxiliary image to a display device so that they can be compared with each other.
Further, according to the present invention, an ultrasonic diagnostic method for forming an ultrasonic tomogram based on an ultrasonic echo signal outputted from an ultrasonic probe having an ultrasonic vibrator at a distal end portion thereof and inserted in the celom, comprises an inserting shape detecting step of detecting an inserting shape of the ultrasonic probe, an auxiliary-image forming step of forming an auxiliary image correlating the ultrasonic tomogram with the inserting shape obtained in the inserting shape detecting step, and an output step of outputting the ultrasonic image and the auxiliary image to a display device so that they can be compared with each other.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more clearly understood from the following description referring to the accompanying drawings.